Though it is thought to show Mary Magdalene embracing Jesus during his crucifixion, the piece is somewhat ambiguous in subject. During his lifetime, Rodin also referred to the work as The Genius and the Pity.

The sculpture was purchased from London’s Daniel Katz Gallery for an as of yet undisclosed price, and becomes only the second Rodin artwork in the institution’s permanent collection. Previously, the Getty acquired Sphinx, a Rodin watercolor, in 2008.

Also debuting yesterday at the museum was Pietro Tacca’s Belvedere Antinous, a two-foot-tall seventeenth century bronze male nude recently acquired from Sotheby’s. The piece is based on a Roman marble owned by the Vatican Museums.